{"id":56353,"title":"Prickly Curious - The Story Behind The Design","description":"Discover the story behind Prickly Curious, a minimalist hedgehog illustration printed on organic cotton, inspired by how the hedgehog approaches life in its own unique way.","content":"

Now this is a wild animal<\/strong> that you might have heard and even seen in its natural habitat in the UK, you may even have these prickly little mammals<\/strong> visit your garden. Maybe you put food out for them, provide shelter and have made a vital highway <\/strong>for them\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.of course it\u2019s hedgehogs.<\/p>

These mammals are unmistakeable with their thousands of spines<\/strong>, all of which are embedded at different angles as an extra defence.<\/strong> They\u2019re very curious <\/strong>and will help clear your garden of insects, caterpillars, earthworms and other critters during the night, keeping vegetable patches a bit healthier. They love exploring<\/strong> in the long grass, you may hear them snuffling about if you sit quietly in the garden. They hibernate over winter in a cosy nest, so you won\u2019t see them emerge until Spring.<\/p>

They are the inspiration<\/strong> behind one of my latest designs \u2013 cautious steps forward, nose twitching at the unfamiliar, yet determined - Prickly Curious.<\/em><\/p>

The Design and Product<\/strong><\/h3>

\"qii4tnhofjtq7osblvomjtqgo7tldgkttyfiqghnzg8xofmn.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&z=1.4000000000000004&fx=0.5934810912244821&fy=0.5604144495697497&v=2\"Prickly Curious<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>is a minimalist illustration of a hedgehog with a heart-shaped nose, walking with quiet curiosity, exploring the world. Available in my signature range<\/a> - printed large in black on a soft, oat-coloured organic cotton tee <\/strong>for men <\/u><\/a>and women<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>

Also available on other products \u2013 just search \u2018hedgehog\u2019.<\/p>

Designed for those who appreciate wildlife, minimal design, and clothing that respects the planet. It's earthy tones and clean, crisp lines make it an easy everyday essential.<\/p>

\ud83c\udf3f<\/span> 100% organic cotton<\/strong><\/p>

\u267b\ufe0f<\/span> Made to be remade<\/strong> in a circular production system<\/p>

\ud83c\udf31<\/span> Vegan approved<\/strong><\/p>

\u26a1<\/span> Manufactured using renewable energy<\/strong><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

The Story<\/strong><\/h3>

Hedgehogs are a vital <\/strong>part of the UK\u2019s ecosystem, yet their numbers have been declining. These animals deserve our attention, our respect, and our protection<\/strong>.<\/p>

My personal connection to hedgehogs flourished when I had the opportunity to help rehabilitate them at a UK wildlife hospital<\/strong>, where I saw first-hand just how resilient <\/strong>and individual <\/strong>they really are. Each hedgehog had its own personality - some shy and tightly curled in a ball, some huffing away and flexing their spines, others surprisingly bold and some very gentle and calm. But overall, what stood out some days - they can be very messy!<\/strong><\/p>

Some would come into the hospital in a sorry state, with awful injuries<\/strong> from strimmers, some dehydrated and out in the daylight, some full of disease and parasites. And sadly, a lot came in as orphaned hoglets<\/strong> when their mum didn\u2019t return to feed them or the nests were disturbed. It doesn\u2019t bear thinking about what happened to the mums.<\/p>

\"avv0inni8kmlojelb9jeovxoxpzh7jbln54h1z8bsyoexfg5.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=auto\"<\/p>

But on a more positive note, there\u2019s a network of people<\/strong> out there who are ready to provide a safe haven<\/strong> for the hedgehogs in their gardens once they\u2019ve recovered and ready for release. Thoughtful people that have hedgehog friendly gardens<\/strong>, who will provide shelter and food for them and keep the area clean while the hedgehogs have the freedom to go off and still explore, knowing they have somewhere safe to go home to if they need it. The hospital is very successful at rehabilitating hedgehogs <\/strong>and other British wildlife, so I hold many special memories as I followed hedgehogs and more, from hand-rearing them to their release day<\/strong>.<\/p>

Some Reflection<\/strong><\/h3>

One of the things that I used to love <\/strong>about spending time with the hedgehogs is how they wouldn\u2019t run away from you or bite you (normally!), if they were scared they\u2019d just curl up in a ball <\/strong>or huff their spines at you. They can appear to be so guarded<\/strong> with their prickles all standing on end, especially when they are in a tight ball to protect their soft underbellies and it\u2019s just prickles everywhere.<\/strong> Yet when they finally decide that you aren\u2019t a threat, they relax and soften their spines, their long nose comes out sniffing away as they slowly uncurl and show a completely different side to them. <\/p>

The hedgehog is certainly unique <\/strong>in more ways than one, most animal\u2019s instincts are to fight or flight when in danger. However, hedgehogs will tend to stop and protect <\/strong>themselves with their spines instead, not in fight mode but defence mode. They have their own built-in protection, so their instinct<\/strong> is to use it rather than be pushed along into what could be even more danger.<\/p>

It\u2019s a reminder that in a world that often pushes us to fight for something or makes us feel we need to run away from something - there\u2019s something powerful about slowing down<\/strong> and simply being cautious and curious in the moment to see if there\u2019s a different path to take. Of course, this doesn\u2019t always pay off<\/strong> which is why hedgehogs need our help and why we see so many come into wildlife hospitals. But without human threat, most the time this system works for them because they\u2019ve not just wasted a ton of energy by running away from that tasty beetle <\/strong>just because a harmless fox<\/strong> was also exploring the same patch. They still get their reward for staying put and riding it out without having to be aggressive.<\/p>

The hedgehog can be so defensive one minute because they feel the need to be in that moment, they follow their gut and instincts<\/strong>. Yet as quickly as they huff their spines they can just as quickly carry on with the task in hand. We can be both cautious and curious <\/strong>too, we don\u2019t have to be pushed along at a fast pace. Sometimes it\u2019s important to just wait and then make a decision, learn to protect ourselves if needed and keep going but maybe one careful step at a time to see what\u2019s around the corner<\/strong>.<\/p>

  • Was there something you decided to cautiously ride out?<\/p>

    <\/p><\/li>

  • When did curiosity get the better of you?<\/p>

    <\/p><\/li>

  • How do you handle scary or unknown situations?<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

    \u00a0<\/p>

    Take-home message:<\/strong><\/h3>

    Take from this what you will, it does not apply to all situations of course, we often have to fight or flight, follow our own instincts<\/strong> \u2013 we don\u2019t have an armour of spines after all. But for those times where there\u2019s an option to stop and ride it out and preserve energy, maybe it\u2019s worth seeing if it\u2019s worth it.<\/p>

    Stay curious<\/strong>, even when life feels uncertain but be cautious too. You don\u2019t need to follow the crowd and expectations other people have for you - sometimes, the bravest thing<\/strong> you can do is find your own way of handling things, whatever that may look like.<\/p>

    You may need some help<\/strong> along the way as battles can become hard but that\u2019s ok too. You don\u2019t always have to be independent and strong on your own to thrive.<\/p>

    There\u2019s a risk in every action you take anyway. Are you finding your own unique path in life?<\/u><\/p>

    <\/p>

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I chose to write a blog about this design next because it\u2019s Hedgehog Awareness Week<\/strong> in the UK at the moment (3rd<\/sup> \u2013 9th<\/sup> May 2026)<\/strong>. This year\u2019s theme is to take The Hedgehog Pledge<\/strong> and you can find out more about it on the The British Hedgehog Preservation Society\u2019s website<\/u><\/a>. There\u2019s lots of guidance on how you can help to protect hedgehogs at home.<\/p>